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SeekingBostonMarathon is an amateur's journey to race in the ultimate annual marathon--the Boston Athletic Association's Boston Marathon. This is not an olympic runner or professional runner's advice site, but an "average joe" who got hooked on running and finally reached hallowed ground in 2010 and is constantly seeking to get back to Boston.

How I got Duped Into Whole30: Ten Days In

Ironically, I got into Whole30 the same way I got into my first marathon...apparently, I'd mumbled to my wife that as hard as I train, I know I don't eat as well as I should. With her own motivations to radically alter the nutrition in our house, she casually mentioned, "let's try Whole30." Without really knowing what it was, I said, "SURE!, let's do it!"

I'm by no means an expert, but it's similar to a paleo diet. It has no dairy, no grains, no sugar (or sugar substitute,) no legumes (beans and peanuts,) no heavily processed foods (think MSG and sulfites,) and no alcohol. The good news is you can eat "real food." Meat, vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats are the foundation.

With time off (still) trying to heal my fractured foot, I was depressed and tended to use food as my "drug" to cope. Not running, and eating poorly started to show up in my belly and on the scale. I also have an almost insatiable "sweet tooth." This all fueled the path that set me off on my Whole30 journey.

The morning after my last birth(week)day party, we started Whole30 together on a Monday. Not before binging on most everything I knew I couldn't eat for 30 days the night before. I am now sitting on day eleven. They say that this is the point in which most people "cave" and quit, but I've got crazy stupid dedication to anything tied to my run and triathlon fitness success, so I'm committed to making it the "whole" 30 days.

With that, my ten days of observations about the first third of my journey.

Day 1: What exactly is Whole30 and what the hell did I get myself into?
Day 2: All the avocados (healthy fat) I can eat? Count me in!
Day 3: I want to visualize that my arm is made from Cold Stone Creamery's cake batter ice cream and gnaw it off.
Day 4: Coffee is legal, but lattes (dairy) are not. I'm thankful for my new Nespresso unicorn cup.
Day 5: I'm out of town, and find a candy bar in my backpack. I gleeked all over my hotel room and stuffed it into my suitcase. It's now in my sock drawer at home.
Day 6: Starbucks and Panera Bread are the devil's paradise. Sugar and bread, oh my. Oh no.
Day 7: I'm calling "bullshit" on people who say they love kale. It has absolutely no flavor and it's only function is to provide healthy bowels.
Day 8: A fine steak without a fine bottle of wine is just wrong. (I abstained.)
Day 9: Who's the "asshole" who brought (my favorite) pecan sticky buns to our work meeting?
Day 10: "Excuse me maam, can I smell your popcorn?" (My wife actually stopped me in the movies before I actually asked. No, you can't eat popcorn.)

Over ten days, I've become "that person" in the restaurant that has a dozen instructions or questions on an entree. No fries, no chips, and while salad is great, what goes on top is heavily scrutinized. I've discovered that while cranberries in a salad are tasty, they're loaded with sugar. I picked them out of my salad today.

Lord, give me strength. This rivals the strength it takes to train for a marathon.